Mrs. Diggs Millbrook Middle School

Course Syllabus

Mrs. Diggs Millbrook Middle School

7th grade Language Arts 2016-2017 School Year

100 Building (Main Building) Room #21

Course Overview

Welcome seventh graders and parents! Seventh grade Language Arts is a course designed to improve language skills (such as grammar, usage, and mechanics), writing skills (how to correctly write sentences, paragraphs, and essays), as well as reading skills (identifying literary elements and analyzing/interpreting literature). These goals are met through reading and writing a variety of materials though out the school year. I look forward to working with each of you to ensure your child’s success this year. If you need to contact me, you may e-mail me at . You can also access this e-mail through the school’s website at clicking the “School Staff” link, then clicking my name. This will take you to my homepage, which contains different information about the class and about me. If you do not have access to a computer, feel free to contact me through the school at 285-2100, and I will return your call as soon as I can. You may also send a note by your child if you choose.Join me on Remind. Enter this number 81010 in your cell phone and text this message: @mrsdiggs.Please review the attached information packed that includes the grading policy and classroom rules and procedures.

Grading Scheme

Grading System

Letter Grade / Percentage
A / 90-100
B / 80-89
C / 70-79
D / 60-69
F / 59 and below

Grading Policy

Grades will be based on the following:

Test and Major Projects / 50%
Daily Grades / 50%
Total Points / 100%

Semester Examinations and Exemption Policy

For grades 7-8, each quarter grading period counts 45% and the semester exam counts 10% of the semester average. The first semester and the second semester averages will be averaged to arrive at a final average for the course.

Example:

45% - 1st quarter average

45% - 2nd quarter average

10% - semester exam

Students may exempt semester exams if they meet the following criteria:

An “A” average with no more than 2 excused absences
A “B” average with no more than 1 excused absence
A “C” average with no absences

Late Assignments

See Millbrook Middle Student Handbook

Classroom Rules

•All policies set forth by the Elmore County Board of Education on the Code of

Conduct will be strictly enforced. (These are found in the ElmoreCounty

Student Handbook. Parents and students, please review them all.)

•Gum, food, and drinks are not allowed out in the classroom. (Students will

receive a ten-minute break each morning at which time they will be allowed to

eat and drink in class.)

•Students will not disrupt class in any way. Horseplay is not allowed. Students

should keep arms, legs, hands, feet, etc. to themselves at all times.

Do what you are told, the first time
Treat others with respect
Bring all required materials to class everyday
Be prepare, and on time
Clean around your workspace before exiting the classroom

Consequences (Refer to the discipline policy.)

Procedures (PLEASE read these carefully.) [These show how things will be done in my classroom.]

•When I or anyone else is addressing the class, students are to remain quiet and pay

attention!

•The ElmoreCounty dress code will be enforced at all times. (See handbook)

•Students are expected to remain on-task and working at all times.

•Students will remain seated and quiet. If a student needs to speak or leave his/her seat

(to use the garbage can, hole puncher, stapler, etc.), he/she must raise his/her hand

and wait for permission to be given.

•No scented materials (such as deodorant, perfume, scented lotions, etc.) are permitted in

the classroom.

•Students are expected to clean up around their desks before they leave the

classroom. All garbage must be in the garbage can before the class is dismissed.

•The bell does not dismiss class, I do. Students will remain seated with materials out

until I tell them they may pack up.

•Students should come prepared for class each day. This means bring textbooks, folders,

paper, pencil, etc. always.

•If a student needs something from my desk, he/she must ask permission first.

•Cheating will not be tolerated! Please encourage your child to be truthful and honest.

•Students will have assigned seats and are expected to sit there at all times. (If a student

has a legitimate problem with his/her assigned seat, another seat will be assigned.)

•Students will quietly enter the classroom, sit down, take out daily materials, and begin

work on overhead assignment. (Assignment will be posted daily on the overhead at the

beginning of class.)

•If a student has a question while I am going over a lesson, he/she should raise his/her

hand and wait patiently to be called on. They are not to interrupt the lesson.

• Tardies: Students are expected to arrive to class on time. (Refer to discipline policy.)

• If a student is absent, he/she has three days to turn in the missed assignment.

• There may be times when I have to be absent. Students are expected to show courtesy and

respect to any substitute and to carry on class as normal. Work will be left for the students,

and Iexpect them to complete it without complaints.

Rude and disrespectful behavior will NOT be tolerated from anyone. Students are expected to be polite and courteous to everyone they meet.

Mrs. Diggs’s Supply List

1 3" Binder (all 4 core subjects can be included in the one binder) with subject dividers

Notebook paper

1 bound composition book (not spiral bound) for warm-ups

1 folder with pockets and prongs for writing assignments

Pens (black or blue only)

Highlighters

Color pencils (8 pk. traditional colors) for corrections and paper revisions

Index cards (4X6) for research and studying

Post It Notes for marking reading passages

USB drive for saving computer projects and essays

Construction Paper

If possible, please donate any of the items listed below. These items will be needed throughout the year. Thank you!!!!

Hand Sanitizer Copy paper

Kleenex Clorox wipes

Paper Towels Band-Aids

Ink Cartridge

Dry Erase Markers

2016-2017 Tentative Schedule of Skills Taught

7th Grade Language Arts Quarter 1

Standards / Skills
1. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. [RL.7.1] / Make inferences/Draw conclusions
Cite textual evidence
Paraphrasing (Weeks 1-3)
2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. [RL.7.2] / Theme/Central Idea
Summarize (Weeks 2-3)
6. Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text. [RL.7.6] / Point of view (Week 4)
8. Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history. [RL.7.9] / Compare/contrast fiction and historical account (Week 5)
12. Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events). [RI.7.3] / Plot, setting, character, conflict, suspense, foreshadowing (Weeks 1-2)
14. Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas. [RI.7.5] / Text structure (Weeks 5-6)
Chronological order
Cause and effect
15. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others. [RI.7.6] / Point of view (Week 4)
36. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. [L.7.1]
37. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. [L.7.2] / Nouns (Weeks 1-2)
Verbs ( Weeks 2-3)
Subjects/Predicates (Weeks 3-4)
Sentences (Weeks5-6)
Week 7 we will take Grammar Exam
Writing
Choose from the following or use prompts from LTF training: (Weeks 7-8)
Prompt 1: To tell a story, we often use photographs or paintings. Imagine yourself being dropped into the scene represented by this painting, photograph, or image. (Teacher must have an image to show to students.)
Prompt 2: Pretend you are a boy or girl who lives in ______. Tell a story about winning a trip to America and what you hope to be able to do during your week-long trip.
22. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. [W.7.3]
a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator, characters, or both; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. [W.7.3a]
b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. [W.7.3b]
c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another. [W.7.3c]
d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. [W.7.3d]
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events. [W.7.3e]

*Week 9 will be a review week before the test

7th Grade Language Arts Quarter 2

When interrupted by a prepositional phrase
With inverted word order
With indefinite pronouns as subjects, compound subjects joined by correlative and coordinating conjunctions, and collective nouns when verb form depends on the rest of the sentence.

37. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. [L.7.2] / (Weeks 4-7)
Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt). [L.7.2a]
Identify adjectives in a sentence.
Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive or parenthetical elements.
Use commas to separate items in a series.
Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence.
38. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. [L.7.3] / ( Will be taught during each writing unit)
Express ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy. (L.7.3a)

*Research project will be done in class throughout the entire 2nd quarter, we will wrap it up around the 7th week to begin preparing for the semester exam. I WILL SEND HOME A DETAILED PACKET FOR THE RESEACH PROJECT THAT MUST BE SIGNED AND BROUGHT BACK!

Writing
Topics for the Research Project will be determined by the teacher. Efforts to collaborate with Science and Social Studies teachers is highly recommended.
23. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 20-22 above.) [W.7.4]
24. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of the first three standards in the Language strand in Grades K-7.) [W.7.5]
25. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources. [W.7.6]
26. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation. [W.7.7]
27. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. [W.7.8]
28. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. [W.7.9]

7th Grade Language Arts Quarter 3

Standards / Skills
1. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. [RL.7.1] / Cite textual evidence (Weeks 1-7)
Make inferences
Draw conclusions
2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. [RL.7.2] / Theme (Weeks 1-7)
Main idea
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama. [RL.7.4] / Meaning of words and phrases
Impact of rhymes
Repetition (Weeks 1-2)
5. Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning. [RL.7.5] / Structure of text (including poetry)
(Weeks 3-6)
13. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone. [RI.7.4] / Meaning of words and phrases
Word choice (Weeks-2-6)
Tone
16. Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium’s portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words). [RI.7.7] / Compare and contrast text (Weeks 7-8)
17. Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims. [RI.7.8] / Support claims (Weeks-7-8)
Grammar / Skill
36. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. [L.7.1]
b. Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific sentences. [L.7.1a] / Writer’s Choice-Unit 14, Unit 15
(Weeks 1-2)
c. Choose among simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas. [L.7.1b] / Writer’s Choice-Unit 8, Unit 14
(Weeks 3-4)
d. Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.* [L.7.1c] / Writer’s Choice-Unit 14, Unit 15
(Weeks 5-6)
37. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. [L.7.2] / Ending punctuation (Writer’s Choice-20.1) (Week 7)
Commas (Writer’s Choice 20.2-20.4)
*Grammar Exam will be week 8
Writing
20. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
(Weeks 7-8) This writing assignment will blend with the skills from the text
Choose from the following prompts for the test grade:

Many people believe that television violence has a negative effect on society because it promotes violence. Do you agree or disagree? State your position and support it with specific reasons and examples.

Who makes a better leader: someone who is loved, or someone who is feared? Take a position and support your position with specific reasons and examples.

Medical researchers, cosmetic companies, and others often perform experiments on animals. Many people feel that experimentation on animals is wrong and should be stopped immediately because animals do feel pain, and there are other alternatives. How do you feel: State your position and explain your reasons.

20. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. [W.7.1]
a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. [W.7.1a]
b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. [W.7.1b]
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence. [W.7.1c]
d. Establish and maintain a formal style. [W.7.1d]
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. [W.7.1e]
23. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 20-22 above.) [W.8.4]
24. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of the first three standards in the Language strand in Grades K-8.) [W.8.5]

*Week 9 will be a review week for the test.

7th Grade Language Arts Quarter 4

Standards / Skills
1. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. [RL.7.1] / (Weeks 1-7)
2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. [RL.7.2] / Main idea
Central idea
Summarize
Theme (Weeks 1-7)
10. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. [RI.7.1] / Cite textual evidence (Weeks 1-7)
Make inferences/Draw conclusions
11. Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. [RI.7.2] / Central idea (Weeks 1-7)
Objective summary of text
Summarize
13. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone. [RI.7.4] / Meanings of words and phrases
(Weeks 2-3)
14. Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas. [RI.7.5] / Text structure (Weeks 3-4)
15. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others. [RI.7.6] / Author’s purpose (Weeks 5-6)
Author’s point of view
17. Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims. [RI.7.8] / Evaluate argument and claims
(Weeks 6-7)
18. Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts. [RI.7.9] / Two authors/same topics
(Weeks 7-8)
Grammar / Skill
36. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. [L.7.1] / Verbals (Weeks 2-4)
36. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. [L.7.1]
d. Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.* [L.7.1c] / Misplaced/Dangling Modifiers
(Weeks 5-6)
37. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. [L.7.2]
a. Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt). [L.7.2a] / Commas to separate coordinate adjectives (Weeks 7-8)
*Grammar test will be given on week 8
Writing / Assessment
21. Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. [W.7.2]
a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison or contrast, and cause and effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. [W.7.2a]
b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. [W.7.2b]
c. Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. [W.7.2c]
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. [W.7.2d]
e. Establish and maintain a formal style. [W.7.2e]
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented. [W.7.2f] / Informative/Explanatory Writing
Possible prompt:
If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? Explain why you would choose to visit this place.
(Weeks 2-4)
23. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 20-22 above.) [W.7.4]
24. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of the first three standards in the Language strand in Grades K-7.) [W.7.5] / Informative/Explanatory assessment

*We will reserve the last 2 weeks for review for semester exams.